Julianna Tymoczko: algebraic and combinatorial geometer

Grades and Expectations

Grades will be based on

homework (worth 20%),
projects (worth 20%),
reading quizzes and ordinary quizzes (worth 10%),
two 2-hour midterm exams (worth 15% each),
one 2-hour final exam (worth 20%).

Like basketball and violin, math is learned by doing not by watching. Class participation is critical: I expect that you'll do your part to keep the energy level of the class high. I also expect that you attend class every day; if illness or another serious problem prevents you from coming, let me know.

This course is being coordinated with the other sections of Math 114. We will maintain uniform policies and stay as synchronized as possible. Should solution sets become available for one section ahead of another, you are reminded that Smith College's Honor Code prevents you from referencing them in your work.

Homework

There will generally be one problem set each week, half due on Tuesday and the other half on Friday. Due dates are noted on the syllabus and announced in class. The two lowest homework scores will be dropped. Collaboration is encouraged, but each student is responsible for

writing her own solutions,
knowing how to solve the problems, and
listing all collaborators or other resources used.

I expect each homework to take around two or three hours to complete. If it takes much longer (or shorter), talk to me in class or office hours.

Late homework is a bad idea. If you're behind, it's hard for you to learn new stuff and to participate in class.
You may resubmit any problems that have received 0-1 points (out of 3) for up to one more point. The resubmission should be clearly identified (which problems, from which set) and easily distinguished from the original (eg: in a different color), and should be handed in with the original problem. Resubmissions are due one week from when the graded set is returned.
Homework that is unreadable may not be graded.
This class is geared towards teaching you how to think, not just how to do calculations. To do this, we'll require you to explain your answers in the homework. Each problem in a set will be graded on a scale of 0 to 3, as follows:
- 0 points: nothing/just a number
- 1 point: good write-up but conceptual errors OR very perfunctory/barely readable write-up with apparently correct solution
- 2 points: good write-up and strategy but typo/calculation error giving wrong answer OR correct answer/strategy but no words
- 3 points: basically all great

Homework for the first few weeks will be posted on the course Moodle page, for those who do not yet have books. Until they are assigned, these problem sets are tentative and may be modified.

Week and Date		Problems
1: 9/6		2Rev: 8, 12, 24, 31, 32, 37; any 5 problems from Chapter 3; 5.1: 2, 26; 5.2: 32; 5.3: 14, 20
2: 9/11-13		7.1: 18, 22, 30, 66, 70, 100; 11.1: 8, 14, 18; 11.2: 8, 12
3: 9/18-20		11.3: 2, 8, 10; 11.4: 8, 12, 16, 28; 11.5: 11, 18
4: 9/25-27		11.7: 5, 20; 11Rev: 11, 22, 36
5: 10/2-4		First exam 10/1-10/4 11.7: 32, 33; 7.2: 8, 13, 20, 24, 46; 7.4: 16, 38, 46, 48, 60
6: 10/9-11		7.5: 12, 14, 16; 7.7: 10, 12, 14, 16, 18
7: 10/16-18		See Moodle for dates! 9.1: 16, 18, 22, 26, 52, 56; 7.7: 33, 34, 36; 7.8: 2, 8, 20, 22, 28, 33; Ch. 7 Rev: 18, 22, 26
8: 10/23-25		9.2: 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 36; 10.1: 2, 4, 14, 16, 18, 22, 26, 32; 10.2: 10, 14, 20, 24, 30, 34, 38
9: 10/30-11/1		9.3: 6, 10, 14, 18, 20 24, 32 46; 10.3: 2, 4, 6, 22, 28
10: 11/6-8		Second exam 11/5-11/8 9.4: 4, 10, 16, 18, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 40, 42, 54, 58, 60, 62, 80
11: 11/13-15		9.5: Find interval of convergence too: 10, 12, 14, 18, 28, 40; 10.4: 2, 4, 8, 15, 16
12: 11/20-22
13: 11/27-29		11.8: 1, 2-10, 16, 18a, 20a
14: 12/4-6		11.9: 2, 6, 12; see notes
15: 12/11-13

Projects

There will be four group projects during the semester, and one individual project. You will be given instructions about each project before we start. You will have roughly two weeks to work on each of the group projects. Four of the projects will apply calculus to a practical situation; one will delve into the concept of limits. They will all use Mathematica.

Each project culminates in a written report that you submit to me. The report should be aimed at a pretty smart person who doesn't know about the project: just from your report, the reader should understand the problem that you analyzed, follow your analysis, and be convinced that this was a good approach to the problem. In other words, you need to be clear, concise, explain, and justify yourself.

Quizzes

We will have weekly quizzes, generally on Thursday. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. We will also have occasional reading quizzes: due at the beginning of class, these will ask conceptual questions about the topic we will discuss that day, and will be graded based on whether you gave it "the old college try".

Exams

Exams are self-scheduled at the Science Library, and are closed book and closed notebook. You are allowed to bring one 3x5 index card to the first exam, two 3x5 index cards to the second, and three 3x5 index cards to the final. At least one problem on each exam will be taken from the homework with minimal modification. Calculators will not be allowed on the exams. The exams will be held:

First Midterm: Monday 10/1 through Thursday 10/4.
Second Midterm: Monday 11/5 through noon Thursday 11/8.
Final Exam: during finals period.